Page 51 of Condemned Soul

“Okay.” I nod my head as I try to pull together some kinda plan. Prez would know what to do if he were here, which makes me wonder why he gave me no fuckin’ heads up on this.

I walk across the room to where Nyx is trying his best to console Ella and when he sees me coming, he moves out the way so I can crouch in front of her.

“We’re gonna get him back. I promise.” I take both her trembling hands in mine. “He’s been in worse scenarios than this, most of us here have had our rights read to us, it don’t mean jack. Monica’s the best attorney in the state and we got plenty of people on the inside.”

“Then why do you look so scared?” She looks up at me, with wide, tear-filled eyes, and suddenly it strikes me that she’s right. I am fuckin’ scared. “We’ll get him back,” I repeat, standing up and patting Dylan’s head before I move away to speak to Troj.

“I need to get in, it’s my job to protect him. All kindsa fuckers are locked away in county, and you can bet half of ‘em want him dead.”

“That was my initial plan Troj, you saw the attempt I made, and how it was ignored. That was no ordinary arrest. No one is goin’ anywhere, right now. My sister needs ya, you can’t go gettin’ yourself locked up. Besides, I don’t know what this is yet. Drug charges? C’mon.” I screw my face up. “If that was the case we should have all left here in cuffs. There’s somethin’ about this Consuela woman that I don’t fuckin’ like.”

“Jess,” Alex interrupts. “That was Monica, she called the sheriff’s office and asked to speak to her client.”

“Don’t fuckin’ tell me he refused her.” I scrub my hand over my forehead because after what’s just happened, nothin’ else today could surprise me.

“No, he didn’t refuse her, he wasn’t there. There's no record of his arrest at all. As it stands, Jimmer Carson hasn’t been taken into custody anywhere in this state. He’s a free man.”

“Mads.” I turn to my old lady and despite all her attempts of reassurance, I see how scared she is. “I need ya to get me Consuela’s number,” I tell her.

* * *

I cut the engine of my bike when I get to the address Consuela gave me, and I take a minute to absorb my surroundings. This ain’t like no jail I’ve ever seen, it’s far too barren, and it only proves that I’m right to have my doubts. There’s a guard standing at a side door that leads into one of the one-story buildings, and I can’t help wonderin’ what the hell Prez has gotten himself into.

“Jessie Donavon.” I give my name to the guard, who says nothing in response, just turns his body and types in a code into the security pad on the door so he can let me inside. Stepping through I find myself in some kinda holding cage and once the door behind me is shut a sign lights up and tells me to empty my pockets of any electrical devices and weapons.

“Jessie.” Consuela greets me from the other side of the bars with a warm smile, acting like she didn’t just lock away the man who’s like a father to me. “You don’t mind if my colleague here gives you a pat down, do you?” She looks to the guard standing beside her and when I shrug, the gate opens and allows me into the same space where they’re standing. He does a thorough job, and when he’s satisfied he gives her a nod and she proceeds. “If you’d like to follow me, I’ll take you to Jimmer.” She starts walking down a long, brightly lit corridor and once we’re round the corner and away from the guard’s view, I grab her arm and shove her into the wall.

“You better tell me what the fuck is goin’ on here. What is this place and why is there no record of my president’s arrest?”

Consuela remains calm as she looks down at my hand and reminds me, without words, that I’m crossing a line.

“I’ll leave that for Jimmer to explain.” She waits for me to release her before taking a keycard from her pocket and opening up the door beside us. I step inside and when I see Prez sitting behind a metal table unharmed, and looking calm, I release a huge sigh of relief.

“Jessie.” He clears his throat and crosses his hands on the table.

“How the fuck are ya so calm? There’s some real shady shit goin’ on here, Prez, and you’re right in the middle of it.” I barge past Consuela to get to him. I can’t make any sense of this, everything about this place is off, it’s not registered on any database. Maddy looked all that up before I left to come here. It’s also why she begged me not to come out here alone when Consuela told me Prez wanted to see me by myself.

“Sit down, Jess, we got some talkin’ to do.” His voice comes out weak, and I glare at him suspiciously as I do as he asks and take the seat opposite him.

“Cliff got us into deeper shit than we originally thought. Consuela is the agent headin’ the task force that was set up to bring us down,” he admits.

“Shit!” I slam my fist hard at the table.

“It’s okay, Jess. I’m playin’ my part to save the club, and now I need you to do yours.”

“What the fuck are you talkin’ about? Prez, this is crazy, we don’t work with agents.”

“We do when we got no choice. I will not have everythin’ I worked for destroyed by that man. Now, do I have your help or not?” he asks me firmly.

I try and think of what there is that I wouldn’t do for the man sitting in front of me, since my dad died he’s been right by my side. I owe Jimmer Carson everything.

“What d’ya need?” I swallow back the lump in my throat.

“I need ya to go home and be a leader. I need ya to use that clever-assed brain of yours to make sure the club stays on top.” I can hear the defeat behind his words as I shake my head at him in disbelief.

“No. No, I ain’t gonna do that. You’re our leader, Jimmer. You are gonna get out of this place, get whatever charges they got against you dropped, and come fuckin’ home.” I seethe through my teeth at him.

“No, Jess, that’s not how it works. I made a deal and I’m seein’ it through. If I don’t, every single one of you will go to jail.” I slide my hands through my hair when I take in what he’s telling me. It’s bullshit. All of this is fuckin’ bullshit.

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